Helix Length

ryan_thiessen

I was just wondering if there was a way to dimension or determine the length of a drawn helix in OnShape without having to use calculations?

I am specifically referring to this drawing:

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/56f19d3ce4b0673b5de81c73/w/45878ef17fa8d1624fd77cd6/e/c9f470239328414f8db0e6bb

NeilCooke

The only way to do this without calculations is to select the helix and look at the measured length bottom right. It is not possible to use this value dynamically in another calculation. Hope this helps. 

NeilCooke

The only way to do this without calculations is to select the helix and look at the measured length bottom right. It is not possible to use this value dynamically in another calculation. Hope this helps. 

neobobkrause

Hmm... 

What if you drew a 1mm long line in a sketch next to one of your helix's endpoints. Then you could use that line to create a surface sweep as the thing to sweep and the helix as the sweep path. Then you could use the MeasureValue FeatureScript to measure the area of the resulting surface. The area will be expressed as a mm*2, but the unit value just happens to be the length of the helix.

Sure, it's a hack, but one that gives you the length of your helix.

- Bob

Jake_Rosenfeld

@neobobkrause

Measure Value should allow the user to just measure the length of the helix directly.

I was wrong about this.  See post below.

neobobkrause

Jake_Rosenfeld said:

@neobobkrause

Measure Value should allow the user to just measure the length of the helix directly.

It absolutely should. But as of 10 days ago it didn’t.

Jake_Rosenfeld

My last post appears to be incorrect.  @konstantin_shiriazdanov, maybe measure value can be enhanced for a "length" option that acts on edges?

For reference @ryan_thiessen, this custom feature measures various values of objects and stores then in a variable for future use:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/77baa8153589a7fc5f289829/w/cffd0f2a7077380d5378a885/e/d3174bf5315e6aafcb889367

To add a custom feature to your toolbar, just navigate to the document and hit that "+" button in the toolbar of that document.

ryan_thiessen

Jake_Rosenfeld said:

My last post appears to be incorrect.  @konstantin_shiriazdanov, maybe measure value can be enhanced for a "length" option that acts on edges?

For reference @ryan_thiessen, this custom feature measures various values of objects and stores then in a variable for future use:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/77baa8153589a7fc5f289829/w/cffd0f2a7077380d5378a885/e/d3174bf5315e6aafcb889367

To add a custom feature to your toolbar, just navigate to the document and hit that "+" button in the toolbar of that document.

Hey there, thanks for the replies!

It's been 3.5 years and I've moved on from this project and Onshape, but I appreciate you taking the time to respond.  I think Neil's answer up top gave me the answer I needed, although I don't know why I never tagged it as answered.

Take care guys!

konstantin_shiriazdanov

Jake_Rosenfeld said:

@neobobkrause

Measure Value should allow the user to just measure the length of the helix directly.

you are right - just it is named "perimeter" option, it consumes edges and faces

Jake_Rosenfeld

@konstantin_shiriazdanov Thanks for the reply, in reading the perimeter option, it seemed like it only took faces, but I should have read more closely.

Sorry to bother @ryan_thiessen ! When I saw the new reply I thought the whole thing was a new post!